José María Olazábal said the spirit of Seve Ballesteros would be with his
European team “every step of the way” at this week’s Ryder Cup after it was
revealed that each of the players’ bags would be embellished with an iconic
image of the Spaniard.

Spirit of Seve: Jose Maria Olazabal poses with the Europe team ahead of the Ryder Cup at MedinahPhoto: REUTERS

The imprint of Ballesteros is ubiquitous here on the western fringes of Chicago, from the navy sweaters that Europe’s golfers intend to wear in his honour on Sunday to the silhouette of the five-time major champion now branded upon their kit. The image selected by Olazábal is an abiding one, recreating Ballesteros’s most famous pose: a clenched-fist salute to the St Andrews crowd after sinking the putt to win the 1984 Open Championship.

“He always said that was the sweetest moment of his career, winning at St Andrews and making that putt to beat Tom Watson,” said Olazabal, Europe’s captain. “We came up with the idea that it would be nice to have Seve’s silhouette, so that every time somebody grabs a club or something from the bag they can see it. I thought it was important to have Seve’s memory and presence during this week.

“This was one way that Seve could be with us every step of the way. This is the first match since he sadly passed away and a fitting tribute to a true champion and a great friend. His image will certainly ensure he is alongside us throughout the week.”

Ballesteros himself loved the picture so much that he had it tattooed on his left arm and mounted in bronze on the front door of his house in Pedreña. So enduring was his arms-aloft dance for joy on St Andrews’ 18th green, celebrating his second Open triumph, that it became known in golf and beyond as El Momento. Olazábal disclosed last night that the decision to use the moment as a tribute had come early: “As soon as we started deciding the materials for the golf bag, straight away we decided we wanted to have a couple of spots available for that.”

Olazábal, a vice-captain at the 2010 Ryder Cup, was not present in the team-room at Celtic Manor when the words of Ballesteros, frail from the ravages of brain cancer, were relayed to the Europeans via speakerphone. But his intention to honour his long-time partner in this competition, having won a staggering 12 points from their 15 matches together, has been plain from the outset.

He would not confirm it yesterday, but the 46 year-old is planning to send out his team for the Sunday singles in an ensemble of navy sweaters, white shirts and navy trousers, replicating the ensemble that Ballesteros always chose for the final rounds of major championships.

“Seve was an important part of the Ryder Cup because of the way he played and conducted himself from his opening match in 1979,” he said. “He set a wonderful example to generations of golfers and for me there are many, many memories.”

The two Spaniards, inseparable in foursomes and fourballs, set a record of 11 wins and two halves that stands to this day. “It’s tough for me, as it’s the first time that Seve is not going to be with us at the Ryder Cup,” said Olazabal, who was devastated by the death last year of his great friend and compatriot. “He has meant a lot to me and the team, and I wanted to have something that was present to each and every player.”

Ballesteros inspired Europe to victory as captain at Valderrama in 1997, having played in the contest eight times and won 20 of his 37 matches between 1979 and 1995. The rich memories he has bequeathed held a particular resonance for Justin Rose. “I did get to know Seve well,” said the Englishman, reflecting on how Ballesteros’ advice helped support him throughout a difficult start to his own professional career, in which he missed 21 cuts in succession.

“He was one of the few guys, when I was struggling on tour after first turning pro, to put his arm around me in a sense, to give me words of encouragement. I remember, when I reached my first Masters, that he just said ‘well done’, because that first Masters was a real breakthrough for me. I had gone through some struggles and then achieved some success to get there. He was really nice and complimentary. There’s some video footage of me chatting to him and my mum meeting him, and you can see my mum blushing.

“Seve was definitely a special character. One of my favourite memories is winning my first title in the US, at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament in 2010, and Seve was the guy being honoured that year. A couple of times during that win, I had tough short-game shots, and Seve sprang to mind. I was trying to picture how Seve would have tried to play the shot. He was with me that week and one of my greatest keepsakes is the book from the Memorial that Jack had signed for me. Seve signed it, too, because I conveyed the story to him about how I thought of him, and he wrote back. That’s something I will cherish forever.”

According to Rose, making his second Ryder Cup appearance, the presence of Olazábal as captain in Illinois this week reinforced the connection between Europe’s stars and Ballesteros.

“I think with José María, you have Seve Ballesteros in terms of a link and as a partnership in the Ryder Cup,” the 32 year-old said. “It’s fantastic that José María is the captain. You know that if Seve had been around, he would have been a big part of this team. So it’s nice that he is still a big part of this team.”